Embroidering attachment for sewing machines



May 6, 1924. 1,492,886

W. D. M DONOUGH EMBROIDERING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed June 27 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. D. M DONOUGH EMBROIDERING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed June 27. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented-May 6, 1 924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM '1). m nonoue'n, or EL rnso, 'rnxas, nssrenoii. or ONE-HALF 'ro Even. r. .MORGAN, or EL PASO', TEXAS.

EMBROIDERING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHTNES.

Application filed June 27, 1923. Serial No? 648,092.

To all'whomz't may comer 11.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. Mc- DONOUGH,43. citizen of the United States, residin at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and tate of Texas, have invented a new and useful Embroidering Attachment for SeW-' ing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an embroidering attachment for sewing machines, one of the objects of the invention being to provide a normally stationary needle for engagement by the tread used upon the work, there being a movable thrusting element or looper cooperating with the needle and with a yieldable work support whereby, during each action of the looper, a portion of the strand acted on will be. forced through the fabric being worked, thereby to provide a loop.

A further object is to provide a movable looper cooperating with a yieldable work support for the purpose of moving thework intermittently during the reciprocation of the looper.

A still further object is to provide anattachment of this character which can be applied readily to an ordinary sewing machine, which is inexpensive, and will operate efliciently to produce any desired embroidery designs upon a properly held fab- IlC. v

- A still further object is to'provide a structure which is capable of slight modifications to adapt it for use with all kinds and sizes of threads, with strands of rags, and various other materials foruse in ornamentin fabrics of all kinds.

with the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the comination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invent1on herein disclosed may be made within the sco e of what is claimed without departing cm the spirit of the invention.

In the accom anying drawings the preferred forms 0 the invention have been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the attachment, a portion of the yieldable work support being in section and the adjacent parts of a sewing machine being indicated by broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment, adjacent parts of a sewing machine being indicated by broken lines.

Fig.- 3 is a-section on line 33, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showin a slightly modified structure.

ig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the needle, its holder, and the looper illustrated in the plate 1 is a bow spring 4 constltutinga yieldable work support and in the structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this spring is formed integral with plate 1 although it is to beilnderstool that any other construction can be used. The spring has its concaved face lowermost and has a longitudinal slot 5 adapted to be located directly under the working parts of the attachment hereinafter described. The free end of the spring 4 is preferably upturned as indicated at 6 so that, when the spring is depressed,- this upturned portion can contact with and readily slip along that portion of the surface of the sewing machine directly under the spring.

. The shank S usually provided for the presser foot of a sewing machine is utilized in the present instance for holding the stationary needle of the attachment. The usual presser foot is adapted to be removed from the shank S and a clamping sleeve 7 1s placed on the shank and secured thereto by means of a screw 8. An arm 9 extends from this sleeve and has its free end bent laterally to provide a flange 10. To this flan e is secured, by means of screws 11 or t 0 like, one side portion of a plate-12 m one face of which is formed a lon tudinal channel 13. This channel is made y ressing the middle of the plate backwar y or out of line along the longitudinal center of the plate, there being left a pro ection or needle point 14 at the lower end of the depression 13. An'eye 15 is provided in this rojecting point for receiving the stran of silk or other material to be used in working a fabric.

Instead of using an ordinary needle on the reciprocating needle bar B of the sewing machine, there is provided an ear 16 adapted to be fastened to the side of the bar by the means of a screw 17 or in any other suitable manner. This ear is integral with a plate 18 preferably disposed at a right angle to the ear and supported where it will work or reciprocate upon the recessed front face of the late 12 when the bar is being reciprocated. Extending downwardly from the plate 18 is a finger 19 inclined downwardly and backwardly so as to fit snugl within the' depression 13 as indicated 0 early in Figs. 1 and 2.

It is to be understod that the parts herein described can be connected readily to a sewing machine and after they have been properly assembled and adjusted, the work to be embroidered is placed in an embroidery hoop and inserted between the stationary needle and the spring 4. After the work has been properly placed the sewing machine is operated in the usual manner, it being understood of course that a thread to be used in working the fabric is inserted through the opening or eye 15. Each time the finger 19 moves downwardly it engages the thread that is extended through the opening 15 and thrusts it downwardly through the fabric supported by the spring 4. This downward movement of the finger or looper 19 will result in the depression of spring 4 as well as the fabric engaged thereby and this depression will result in the fabric going below the needle point allowing the hoo to move to position for the next loop. The movement will also produce a slight backward feeding of the engaged fabric so that when the finger or looper 19 is removed upwardly from the fabric, leaving a loop of the thread underneath the fabric, the fabric will be positioned to receive another loop at a different point close to the loop previously formed. Thus a line of loops can be made along the fabric, it merely being necessary to guide the fabric in order to insure formation of the loops along a selected line. The feeding of the fabric is automatic as long as the fabric is left free to move under the cooperation of the looper 19 and spring 4. By slightly retarding the movement of the fabric, the loop is bunched or tightened. By slightly drawing or shifting the fabric during the operation of the attachment, a short loop will be formed giving the effect of what is known as a French knot.

By providing loopers or fingers 19 of different lengths, different results can be ob tained. For example, a chenile effect or a velvet elfect can be obtained. It is not pecessary tochange the needle 14 at any ime.

Obviously the attachment can be so proportioned as to ada t it for use in looping strlps of rags, in the manufacture of rag rugs and the like.

As shown in Fig. 3, the needle can be formed with a series of openings or eyes 15 of different sizes, thereby adapting the needle for use with threads of different sizes.

Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive illustrate a modified construction. This includes a sleeve 20 for attachment to the resser foot shank S. This sleeve has a ho lding plate 21 secured thereto in any suitable manner or formed therewith, the forward end of the plate being downturned and forked as shown at 22. To this forked downturned portion is connected the needle plate 23 having the depending point 24 for receiving a thread. A spring strip 25 is connected to the rear end of the plate 21 and extends under an opening 26 formed in the plate 21 directly under the reciprocating needle bar B of the head A. The free end of this spring strip is extended upwardly so as to normally be seated within the angle portion of the strip 21 and from this upper ortion of the strip 25 is extended a finger 2% adapted to work within the forked depending portion 22 and against the plate 23. A looper finger 28 is extended downwardly from the portion 27 and is adapted to engage the thread extended through the needle point 24. A work supporting spring strip 29 similar to the one hereinbefore described is provided under the looper 28 and the needle point 24:. When a fabric to be worked is placed over the strip 29 and the sewing machine set in motion, the bar B will work through the slot 26 and engage and depress the strip 25, thereby causing the looper 28 to operate in the same manner as hereinbefore described. Each time the bar B moves upwardly the spring strip 25 will of course elevate the looper.

What is claimed is 1. An embroiderin attachment for sewing machines including a yieldable work support, a stationary needle adapted to be supported thereabove, and a looper for reciprocation above the work support and relative to the needle.

2. An attachment of the class described including a yieldable work suplport having an opening therein, a needle a apted to be held stationary and having thread engaging means, and a looper mounted for reciprocation upon the needle to intermittently engage a thread and force it through a fabric on the work sup ort.

3. An attachment of t e class described including a yieldable work support having an opening therein, a needle, means for holding the needle stationary above the work support, said needle having a thread engaging portion, there being a longitudinal depression within the needle, a looper extending into the depression, and means for supporting the looper for reciprocation relative to the needle. I

4. The combination with the presser foot shank and needlebar of a sewing machine, of a needle, means for connecting the needle to the presser foot shank to support the needle in stationary position, a looper, means for connecting the looper to the needle bar for reciprocation therewith relative to the needle, and a yieldable work support below the needle and having an opening therein for the reception of the looper.

5. A device of the class described including an attaching plate, an apertured yieldable work support extending therefrom, a needle having a thread receiving opening, an arm, means for securing the arm to the presser foot shank of a. sewing machine, means for detachably securing the'needle to the arm, a looper mounted for reciprocation along the needle, and means for detachably securing the looper to the needle bar of a sewing machine.

6. A device of the class described including a yieldable work sup ort having an opening, a needle, a mom r for attachment to the presser foot shank of a sewing machine, said needle being secured to the member and supportedthereby above the aperture in the support, and a l0oper mounted for actuation by the needle bar of supporting the needle -fixedly above the opening, said needle having a series of openings for the reception of threads of dflferent slzes, a member mounted for actuation by the needle bar of a sewing machine, and

a looper extending in said member and slidably engaging the needle along a line intersecting the openings in the needle.

.8. The combination with a needle and means for fixedly supporting the same, of a looper mounted for reciprocation along the needle, and ayieldable support cooperating with the looper for feeding Work. across the end of the needle and tor yielding under the pressure of the looper.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM D. McDONOUGI-I. Witnesses:

' Evon P. MORGAN,

ADELAIDE DAVIS. 

